USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Andover > Town annual report of Andover 1955-1959 > Part 27
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We estimate the cost of our elementary school library service to be in the vicinity of $5,700. It is difficult to isolate costs exactly since personnel, books and other material are interchanged between the schools and the central Children's room, a kind of coordination of resources which made it seem desirable for the Memorial Hall Library to undertake it in the first place.
There have been no spectacular new activities carried on during the past year. We can report a Spring Book Festival ; the continuation of our Great Books group; a delightful Open House in November, with Esther Forbes as speaker; another series of keenly enjoyed color slide evenings; a
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school art display; a variety of book exhibits; displays and book lists around such a local celebration as Olympic week, election issues, a notable books selection, a welcome to Mars.
More community groups used our meeting rooms than ever before. An investment series, sponsored by the Andona Society for the benefit of Andover institutions, gave us a splendid opportunity to prepare a special reading list and to display at each meeting our fine collection of books and investment services.
Thirty-nine 16mm sound films, with many in color, were made available to community groups at a surprisingly low cost to this library, partly through its membership in a li- brary film cooperative and because such groups as the Ca- nadian National Film Board and others deposited films here for a month to two months period. Increased demand for audio materials - films, film strips, slides, framed prints, recordings, makes it essential that we develop a thoughtful program commensurate with our need and capacity to sup- port it financially. Considerable attention was given this past year to working out effective procedures for cataloging and circulating this type of material.
We were tremendously pleased to have this library se- lected for field study for two Italian librarians, part of a group of ten, brought to this country under a program spon- sored by the State Department and the American Library Association. We feel that their visits although brief, were quite worthwhile and had valuable results not only for them but for this library and community as well. In a note soon after his visit, Dr. Cremascoli wrote "I shall carry back to Italy an unforgettable memory of this small, charming town and its rich library .... "
There were a few staff changes. In March our excellent Building Custodian, Mark Surette, resigned since he was moving to the Pacific Coast. Everett Ward, a very compe- tent person, was appointed to succeed him. We found it impossible, due to lack of suitable candidates to fill our
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Catalog and Reference position. Instead we appointed to the staff, Patricia Sage, a recent graduate of the Simmons Li- brary, School, with one year of experience in the Los An- geles Public Library, as general Professional Assistant in the hope that with training and experience she might grow into the Catalog position. We are encouraged that the American Library Association is attacking the problem of recruiting with what would appear to be an excellent program since the dearth of trained people continues to present a frightening prospect for libraries of all kinds.
Many people will remember participating in interviews and in filling out questionnaires for a study of our adult education program which was carried on in 1954 by Eleanor Phinney, then Research Assistant at the Rutgers Graduate Library School, under a grant to study adult education in public libraries, made by the Fund for Adult Education. The study in book form, entitled "Library Adult Education in Action" was published by the American Library Asso- ciation in July, with the Memorial Hall Library appearing as the fifth of the five studies in a chapter entitled "Library- Community Interaction".
Once again we should like to say thank you to all who have worked hard and long to make this a significant year -our volunteer discussion leaders, our library users, who are the best gauge of how well or how ill we serve, the mem- bers of the Library Staff and the Library Board and-we should like to include them here, our two newspapers, The Lawrence Tribune and the Andover Townsman.
Two publications of great importance to public libraries appeared in 1956 : the Report on State Aid to Public Libra- ries in Massachusetts, more familiarly known as the Buck report and the publication of the American Library Asso- ciation, "Public Library Service, A Guide to Evaluation, with Minimum Standards". This second report was accom- panied by a suppplement which translated standard library service into costs at 1956 price levels. These present us with a guide, a measuring stick and a challenge to live up to its
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major recommendation which is to develop more fully the cooperative approach on the part of libraries.
Gerald Johnson in a foreword to this Public Library Ser- vice study provides an admirable close to this report when he writes of the public as the "function of an open door". "The public library", he continues, "is a way of escape from the narrow area of our individual lives into the field, finite, no doubt, but unbounded, of the wisdom and experience of all mankind."
1956 STATISTICS OF LIBRARY USE BOOK STOCK
Volumes at beginning of year
Adult 40,296
Juvenile 12,622
Total 52,918
Volumes added by purchase
1,587
742
2,329
Volumes added by gift
142
15
157
Volumes lost or withdrawn
143
522
665
Lost volumes found
3
3
6
41,885
12,860
54,745
Newspapers & periodicals currently received Periodicals received by gift
25
USE
Volumes
% of total Circulation
Volumes of adult fiction
34,817
26.5
Volumes of adult non-fiction
33,496
25.5
Pamphlets & Periodicals
6,276
04.8
Children's Books & Magazines
48,248
36.6
Children's room use 39,827
Elementary school library use 8,421
Number of adult records
6,594
Number of children's records
1,065
06.6
Pictures, prints and filmstrips
1,083
216
131,579
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*The library wishes to call attention to the fact that in ad- dition to books loaned through the school libraries to indi- vidual boys and girls, 13,857 books belonging to school li- braries and the Memorial Hall Library were deposited in classrooms, with each book used from one to twenty times, for an estimated borrowing of 138,570.
REGISTRATION
Adult Juvenile Total
New borrowers registered during year 949
548
1,497
Total number of registered borrowers 3,796
2,530 6,326
Circulation per capita (based on
population figures - 14,535 (1955) 9
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1
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Board of Public Works
Andover, Mass. January 1, 1957
The Board of Public Works voted to adopt the following report of the Superintendent and Engineer as its report for 1956.
ALLEN M. FLYE, Chairman ALEXANDER H. HENDERSON, Secretary P. LEROY WILSON FRANCIS P. REILLY DAVID M. THOMPSON
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Report of Superintendents and Engineer
To the Board of Public Works :
GENTLEMEN :
Following the precedent of the past few years this re- port is a joint report of the overall operation of the Public Works Departments.
The rate of housing construction and general expansion of the Town facilities has been steadily increasing, and we would like to thank all Town Departments for their coop- eration in aiding us in meeting the added demands so im- posed. The Board in establishing policies on use of equip- ment and especially in looking to the future in long range plans for improvements are doing much to anticipate prob- lems before they arise.
It is hoped and expected with the cooperation experienced in the past an orderly growth will be a challenge but not a problem.
ENGINEERING
The last few years have seen many changes in the opera- tions and problems of government from the federal level to the municipal level. The municipal engineer and his staff provide assistance and information to the Board of Public Works, and other groups or officials that they might desig- nate, in the form of estimates, engineering data, prelimin- ary designs and general information to form a basis for decisions in the increasing complexity of municipal govern- ment.
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1
A long range program for improvements to the Water System of the Town was completed in 1956. This work was started in 1945 by a Special Committee with the aid of the Consulting Firm of Weston and Sampson and brought up to date and amplified by the firm of Camp, Dresser & Mc- Kee during 1956. This program doesn't include any solution for the water supply problem which in recent years has be- come increasingly acute. It is expected that a study of sup- ply will be completed in 1957.
The Engineering Department has also been working with the firm of Camp, Dresser, and McKee on providing addi- tional reservoir capacity with a new reservoir on Prospect Hill and a new reservoir on Wood Hill in West Andover. The Pittsburgh-Des Moines Steel Co. were awarded con- tracts for the installation of the same.
Other work in the same vein was the installation of se- veral reinforcing water mains which are mentioned in de- tail under the work of the Water Department.
Services were also provided in preparing design, speci- fications and contracts as well as supervising outside con- tractors on construction of Sutherland Street sewer and the awarding of bids on water main construction on Wildwood Road and Vine Street.
Assistance was provided on drainage projects, curbing installation, construction of the Burnham Road sidewalk, Stratford Road relief sewer, and other work carried out by the Board of Public Works. Advice was given to other Town Departments such as consultations with School and Cemetery Departments on drainage and aiding in the en- largement of the parking area at Pomps Pond. In coopera- tion with the Town Counsel two parcels of land were ac- quired on Lewis Street for enlargement of the Board of Public Works' facilities and proceedings started on acquir- ing land at Haggetts Pond and on Prospect Hill for im- provements to the water system.
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HIGHWAY
The following road surfaces were treated with either tar or asphalt and honed :
Precinct 1: - Chestnut Street, Pine Street, Walnut Ave. and Whittier Street. Precinct 2: - Brook Street, Central Street, Elm Court, Henderson Avenue, High Street, Locke Street, Pearson Street, Railroad Avenue, Stevens Street. Precinct 3. - Burnham Road, Canterbury Street, Corbett Street, Cornell Avenue, Dufton Road, Kenilworth Street, Magnolia Avenue, Riverina Road, Topping Road. Precinct 4: - Argilla Road, Beacon Street, Cutler Road, High Plain Road, Lincoln Circle, Lincoln Street, North Street, Osgood Street, Shirley Road, Webster Street. Precinct 5: - Ando- ver Street, Chester Street, Dascomb Road, Lowell Junction Road, River Street. Precinct 6 : - Alderbrook Road, Alden Road, Bancroft Road, Forbes Lane, Gardner Avenue, Gray Road, Hidden Road, Highland Road, Holt Road, Judson Road, Porter Road, Salem Street, West Knoll and Wildwood Road. A total of 65,514 gallons of MC-3 asphalt and 27,887 gallons of Tar T-6 were used.
Balmoral Street was resurfaced with two course Type I Bituminous Concrete, using 896.5 Tons at $7.60 per ton with a total cost of $7,036.64 and covering an area of 6540 square yards. The area between the Railroad Crossing in Ballardvale and the River Bridge on Andover Street was resurfaced with similar material using 188.65 tons at a cost of $1,535.98, and covering an area of 1510 square yards.
An area on Beacon Street from Lowell Street to West Center School was resurfaced with asphalt and peastone mixed in place.
The snowfall for the year 1956 was as follows: -
January
9.0 Inches
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February
20.1 Inches
March
32.5 Inches
April November December
7.5 Inches
2.0 Inches
24.8 Inches
Total
95.9 Inches
The snowfall for the season November 1955 to April 1956 inclusive totaled 73.1 inches.
Sidewalks were constructed of bituminous material on the following streets: School Street, Salem Street, Hidden Road, Dascomb Road, Dufton Extension and Enmore Street, High Street, North Main Street, Essex Street and Central Street. The cost of resurfacing sidewalks averaged $1.26 per square yard while new sidewalk construction averaged $1.66 per square yard.
Under Article 38, 1954, $4,989.77 was spent constructing hot-top sidewalk for a distance of 1200 feet on the East side of Burnham Road along by Veteran's property. Pre- vious to laying out the sidewalk several trees were removed and the area sloped back to private porperty.
The sloped areas were planted with Crown Vetch which is a good ground cover and blooms from Spring to Fall.
Curbing was installed on Chestnut Street between Main Street and Central Street at a cost of $2,117.11. Parking Meters were removed on the south side and designated as a no parking area on that side.
Curbing was installed on both sides of Punchard Ave- nue along the parking metered area at a cost of $2,630.08. This work was done uunder Article 33 providing funds transfered from the Parking Meter Account.
273
WATER SYSTEM
The water division instituted a new system of meter reading and billing which involves reading of one-sixth of the accounts every month enabling the reading and billing to be maintained at approximately the same pace during the year instead of all readings and billings being done at one time. Another change has been the assignment of a meter repair man to maintain the efficiency of the water meters and insure that new buildings be metered so that each consumer receives a fair and equitable charge. The actual operation of this depends on the meter reader's re- ports of stopped meters and of new occupied dwellings as efficiency dictates replacements and settings to be concen- trated in one part of Town at one time.
Another major change has been to institute a program requiring all water services to be installed by the Town, a policy that had been followed in years past. The return to this policy is expected to insure a proper service installation thereby, eliminating to a large degree future maintenance problems.
Under the improvement program the following water mains were installed during 1956:
River Road 2400 L.F. 12" C.L.C.I.
1 Hydrant
Ledge Road 1100 L.F. 8" C.L.C.I.
2 Hydrants
Greenwood Road 931 L.F. 8" C.L.C.I.
1 Hydrant
Beacon Street 1400 L.F. 8" C.L.C.I. 1 Hydrant
Chandler Road 1600 L.F. 8" C.L.C.I.
Under special articles for water extensions the following mains were installed :
Gleason Street 1200 L.F. 6" C.L.C.I.
Spring Grove Rd. 961 L.F.
6" C.L.C.I.
2 Hydrants
2 Hydrants
and bids were awarded for construction of :
Vine Street
600 L.F. 10" C.L.C.I.
1 Hydrant
Wildwood Road 500 L.F. 10" C.L.C.I.
1 Hydrant
274
1
1
1 ! 1 1
1
1
WATER SYSTEM SUMMARY, for year ending December 31st
Year
Received from Water Rates
Net Cost of Maint. incl. pumping
Direct Cost of Pumping
Cost per Mil. Gals.
by total mainten.
by direct pumping
Received per Million Gals.
Annual Pumpage Haggetts Station (Million Gals.)
No. of service pipes in use
No. of Meters in use
No. of Hydrants
Miles of Main Pipe
1940*
$52,241.14
$27,799.18
$15.256.13
$67.04
$36.79
$125.99
414.653
2653
2587
728
79.89
1950 **
67,871.62
49,417.39
26,516.09
90.46
48.02
124.24
546.313
3202
3172
815
91.73
1951
63,239.86
51,237.40
25,175.79
97.74
48.54
120.64
524.204
3311
3272
820
92.35
1952
72,972.04
53,356.72
28,583.58
93.34
49.47
126.29
577.800
3376
3338
822
93.34
1953
82,390.94
59,433.18
32,159.51
96.18
52.04
133.34
617.917
3456
3418
829
93.93
1954
83,864.57
59,043.59
25,571.55
112.45
48.70
159.73
525.055
3632
3604
839
95.36
1955
93,229.71
65,706.22
28,456.45
109.69
47.50
155.64
598,780
3788
3737
848
96.21
1956
97,204.97
74,718.23
32,814.99
100.54
50.98
151.00
643,730
3985
3931
857
98.20
*See Annual Report of 1939 for years 1889 through 1939.
** See Annual Report of 1954 for years 1940 through 1950.
1956 WATER PUMPING REPORT
Average Yield 1.85 Mil. Gal/day - 1940 to 1945 Ave. - 1956 Average Pumping 1.76 Mil. Gal/day
Month
Total/Month
Min.
Max.
Month
Total/Month
Min.
Max.
JAN.
45,900,000
1,320,000
1,620,000
AUG.
81,610,000
1,688,000
4,200,000
FEB.
43,340,000
1,360,000
1,630,000
SEPT.
50,290,000
1,250,000
2,330,000
MAR.
46,660,000
1,406,000
1,590,000
OCT.
50,300,000
1,360,000
1,830,000
APR
45,490,000
1,310,000
1,620,000
NOV.
46,130,000
1,350,000
1,660,000
MAY
51,280,000
1,340,000
1,990,000
DEC.
43,510,000
1,230,000
4,260,000
JUNE
69,910,000
1,500,000
3,220,000
YEARLY TOTAL
643,730,000 Gal.
1,230,000 Gal.
4,260,000 Gal.
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In addition to the foregoing the mains on Lantern Road Nutmeg Lane and Arcadia Road were added to the system by virtue of the Town legal acceptance of those streets.
The Town at its annual Town Meeting of 1956 adopted the Betterment Act for the installation of water mains un- der which the Town will be reimbursed for the installation of such pipe that will provide special benefit to the proper- ty involved.
Exactly 200 applications for water were processed dur- ing the year. All but three were installed by December 31st.
SEWERAGE SYSTEM
It was found that the Ballardvale Treatment Plant re- quired a daily attendance for proper operation. A daily re- port is prepared and submitted to the office of the Engineer to insure that satisfactory conditions are mentioned.
The Shawsheen Plant requires indeterminable repair pro- gram of which a start is requested for 1957 during which a study will be conducted to determine the amount of repairs and improvements needed. During 1956 a bearing was re- placed, a manhole installed to facilitate cleaning and the valving arrangements repaired.
Improvements to the system included construction of a short relief sewer on Stratford Road to carry a part of the Summer Street load. A bolted down manhole on the North Main Street line failed to solve the problem of heavy flows near the Tyer Rubber Storehouse and a short connection will be necessitated with a secondary line at that point.
The only extension during the year was on Sutherland Street which was done under a contract with the Dow Com- pany of Methuen and added 320 feet of 8" sewer line to the system.
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Sixty-Five (65) sewer services were installed during the year by authorized contractors.
DRAINAGE
The Rogers Brook problem, so long debated, was finally resolved at Special Town Meeting in the Fall of 1956 with the State Department of Waterways - providing for one- half of the funds.
Small improvements to the system were made by the in- stallation of a catch basin and drain line on Hidden Road; catch basins on Chandler Road north of Juniper Road; and replacement of a culvert on Rocky Hill Road.
Leaching catch basins were installed on Shawsheen Heights to take care of normal storm water; this system wouldn't take care of the heavier storms; such might occur only once a year.
PARKS
The backstop at the regular diamond at the Central Play- stead was increased 6 feet in height and a 10 foot wing was added on each end.
There are now three Little League fields in operation, one at Central, one at Woburn Street playgrounds and one in the rear of West Central School.
Fertilizer was applied in the Spring on both the Park and Playstead areas.
The portable bleachers were loaned to North Andover for their Thanksgiving day game with Punchard and were returned to Andover the next day to be stored away.
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TREE DEPARTMENT
The Tree Department in conjunction with the Board of Health applied a D. D. T. mosquito spray this year to all pond, stream and swamp areas in an effort to curb the mos- quito nuisance and eliminate the encephalitis (sleeping sickness) threat. The mist blower was used except in in- accessible areas where portable back sprayers were carried in.
The regular department work of removing low limbs, dead and dangerous trees and branches was continued.
Many weak trees were cabled and braced to prevent fur- ther breaking and splitting. Brush cutting on country roads was done, especially at blind corners and on school bus routes.
Dutch Elm Disease appeared in 77 public street trees in 1956. As of December 31, sixty of these have been taken down and burned. The remaining trees will be removed by March 1, 1957.
In April and May, 68 trees were set out along the public ways. Comprising this total there are 48 Maples, 10 Lin- dens, 5 Sycamores, 2 Locusts and 3 Yellow Woods. The cost was $450.00 of which $350.00 was furnished by the A. V. I. S. and this Society has donated $500.00 for the same pur- pose in 1957 if this is matched by a like amount by the Town.
NEW EQUIPMENT
Under Article 25 with an appropriation of $500.00 two Homelite 5 HP Model 5-20 Chain Saws with 23" guide bar were purchased at a net cost of $476.77, using the trade-in value of two used saws at $200.00.
278
A Locke Triplex Power Lawn Mower was purchased un- der authorization of Article 26 at a net cost of $1,015.28 in- cluding trade-in value of $150.00 for one fifteen year old mower.
Three 21/2 Ton Model 700 Ford Dump Trucks were pur- chased at a net cost of $12,372.25, using as part payment the trade-in value of $4,557.00 for two 1948 Diamond T trucks.
A Chevrolet Station Wagon was purchased at a cost of $1,819.65 with no turn-in. This vehicle is to be used in the Engineering and Water Departments.
A model 125 Worthington Portable Rotary Air Compress- or, mounted on two wheels for towing by truck, was pur- chased for the net sum of $3,200.00 plus the allowance of $825.00 for a used 105 Ingersoll Rand Compressor includ- ing a 1937 Dodge chassis on which it was mounted.
STREET LIGHTING
The following tabulation shows the amount of money that will be required in 1957 to cover costs of street lights installed as of December 31, 1956 :
Number
Type
Unit Price
Annual Cost
36
15,000 lumen mercury, underground
$115.
$ 4,140.
29
15,000 lumen mercury, overhead
95.
2,755.
1
3,300 lumen mercury, underground
60.
60.
4 3,300 lumen mercury, overhead
40.
160.
12
2,500 lumen incandescent, underground
48.
576.
49
2,500 lumen incandescent, overhead
28.
1,372.
71
1,000 lumen incandescent, underground
38.
2,698.
785
1,000 lumen incandescent, overhead
18.
14,130.
6
60 watt incandescent, underground
38.
228.
10
15,000 lumen mercury, Academy Main Street
289.
3
15,000 lumen mercury, Academy Salem Street
74.
1
21,000 lumen mercury, overhead
100.
$26,582.
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All lights requested by the Board during 1956 have been installed with the exception of four 1000 Lumen Lights, two on Beacon Street, one on Henderson Avenue, and one on Lowell Street. These will cost the Town a total of $72. per year, bringing the total required for 1957 to $26,654.00 This of course, does not allow for any new lights which may be requested during the year.
To provide for adequate Street Lighting for 1957, we recommend an appropritaion of $28,000.00.
Respectfully submitted,
EDWARD R. LAWSON RALPH E. PREBLE, Jr.
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1957 Town Warrant
THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS ESSEX, SS.
TO EITHER OF THE CONSTABLES OF THE TOWN OF ANDOVER,
GREETING :
In the name of the Commonwealth you are hereby requir- ed to notify and warn the inhabitants of said town who are qualified to vote in Elections and Town Affairs to meet and assemble at the designated polling places in Precincts One, Two, Three, Four, Five and Six, viz: The Central Fire Sta- tion in Precinct One; the Square and Compass Hall in Pre- cinct Two; the Sacred Heart School, Balmoral Street, Shaw- sheen Village, in Precinct Three; the Andover Grange Hall in Precinct Four, the Fire Station, Ballardvale, in Precinct Five; and the Peabody House, Phillips Street in Precinct Six, in said Andover, on
MONDAY, THE FOURTH DAY OF MARCH, 1957 at 7:00 o'clock A. M., to act upon the following articles :
ARTICLE 1. To elect a Moderator for one year, a Select- man for three years, an Assessor for three years, two mem- bers of the Board of Public Works for three years, a mem- ber of the Board of Health for three years, a member of the School Committee for three years, a member of the Plan- ning Board for five years, a Trustee of Memorial Hall Li- brary for seven years, three Constables for one year, and any other town officers required by law to be elected by bal- lot, also to vote on the following question: "Shall an act passed by the General Court in the year nineteen hundred and fifty-six entitled 'An act establishing a selectmen-town manager plan for the town of Andover' be accepted by the town ?"
281
All the above candidates and question to be voted for on one ballot. The polls will be open from 7:00 o'clock A. M. to 7:00 o'clock P. M.
After the final action on the preceding Article One, the said meeting shall stand adjourned by virtue of Section 20, Chapter 39 of the General Laws, to Saturday, March 9th at 1:30 o'clock P. M. at the Memorial Auditorium, then and there to act upon the following articles, namely :
ARTICLE 2. To elect all other officers not required by law to be elected by ballot.
ARTICLE 3. To establish the salary of elected TOWN OFFICERS for the ensuing year.
ARTICLE 4. To determine what sums of money shall be appropriated for the following purposes :
Appropriation for the Assessors, Board of Selectmen, and all Departments under their control; Appropriation for the Board of Health : Appropriation for Trustees of Me- morial Hall Library : Appropriation for Trustees of Spring Grove Cemetery : Appropriation for School Committee. Ap- propriation for all Departments under the control of the Board of Public Works: Appropriation for any other Town Charges and Expenses.
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